Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam. It is known that Vietnam features three slenderness. They are slender women, slender houses, and slender shape of the country. It occupies the whole east coast of the Indochina Peninsula along the South China Sea.
Ba Dinh Square in front of the Ho Chi Ming Mausoleum–Ho Chi Ming is the father of Vietnam. He united Vietnam, fought against French colonialism and liberated Vietnam from foreigners as well as fought the Japanese during World War II.Temple of Literature-built in 1070, a temple dedicated to Confucius, also hosts the Imperial Academy, Vietnam’s first university.In the park across from the Temple of Literature was where calligraphists assemble before the Vietnamese New Year to write wishes in Hán characters. The artworks are given away as gifts or are used as home decorations for special occasions.The Welcoming Morning Sunlight Bridge leads to the Temple of Jade Mountain, a Taoist temple on the islet located in the Hoan Kiem Lake,The entrance to Welcoming Morning Sunlight Bridge.Tran Quoc Pagoda situated on the West Lake was once by the Red River built-in 15 hundred. The tallest pagoda was rebuilt in 2004 holding monk’s ashes. The Tran Quoc old temple where people go the pray is the oldest Buddhist temple in Hanoi. The altar is to the Buddha, Sangha, and Buddha Dharma. There is a Bodhi tree that is propagated from the original Bodhi tree under which Buddha obtained enlightenment.St. Joseph’s Cathedral is a church on Nha Tho Street in the Hoàn Kiếm District of Hanoi, Vietnam. It’s a late 19th-century Gothic Revival church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese is still being used for the Catholics of Hanoi.Hoan Kiem District -“Old Quarter” An old busy market place where one can find various vendors, and bicycles, streetcars, scooters zigzagging around. Crisscrossing between old colonial buildings and old town gate and some leftover standing walls.One Pillar Temple built by Emperor Lý Thái Tông in 1040 in gratitude for granting him a son after being without an heir for twenty some years on the throne. It was designed to symbolize a Lotus flower rising from a muddy pond. Just as in the emperor’s dream how his son was brought to him in a lotus flower by Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. People come to pray for babies here. The original pillar was of wood but was blown up by the French as they were retreating. What one sees is a concrete replacement.Follow the construction of One Pillar Temple, in gratitude of continue descendant, this temple was built next door. Like the first one, it was dedicated to Kwan Yin or Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva.Vietnamese art in everyday use is very practical in bringing happiness to all. A little mankind’s creativity on the goodness of Mother Nature.
Ha Long Bay is about a three and a half hour bus ride from Hanoi. This is a UNESCO Heritage Sit due to the extraordinary bay-scape. The Bay covers a 1533 square kilometers but consist of around 2,000 islets of various size and shape. The limestone of the bay shows 500 millions years of evolution. There are many species of plants and animals on the karst that had gone through 20 million years of evolution in the tropical climate typical for this environment.
La Han Bay, where we board the cruise ship.Getting started at La Han BayAlong the wayTrong Mai Islet-Fighting Cocks IsletApproaching Thien Cung Cave -Heavenly Palace CaveThien Cung Cave.Tiptop island named after the Soviet Astronaut Ghermann Titov. The island has a crescent beach with white sand. One can swim and eat here 24 hours. Many tourist ships anchors nearby. On top of the island, one can see the whole Halong Bay.
awesome retirement 